Online retail shop requesting bank statements, utility bill, driving license, passport

JonMitchell

Good morning all
I tried to purchase an electronic item at BT Shop, paid for the item with my credit card that I have been using for over 30years.
A day after my paid order, I received an email from BT Shop requesting me to email my bank statements, utility bill, driving license and passport to them????!!! Which came as a big surprise. I called my bank immediately and their credit card department found it extremely odd that online retailers ask for such as my bank did not pick up any issue with my purchase. Was not at all comfortable in sending all these requirements that BT requested so I cancelled the order.
Was wondering if anyone had experienced this before as well?
Not sure if there is a governmental body that I can address such issues as personal data is seen by me treated like dirt when sending sensitive information as attachments via email to an email that I will never know if they are based in UK or oversea, the latter will be a big issue that possibly violate GDPR?

dinglebert

JonMitchell said:

Good morning all
I tried to purchase an electronic item at BT Shop, paid for the item with my credit card that I have been using for over 30years.
A day after my paid order, I received an email from BT Shop requesting me to email my bank statements, utility bill, driving license and passport to them????!!! Which came as a big surprise. I called my bank immediately and their credit card department found it extremely odd that online retailers ask for such as my bank did not pick up any issue with my purchase. Was not at all comfortable in sending all these requirements that BT requested so I cancelled the order.
Was wondering if anyone had experienced this before as well?
Not sure if there is a governmental body that I can address such issues as personal data is seen by me treated like dirt when sending sensitive information as attachments via email to an email that I will never know if they are based in UK or oversea, the latter will be a big issue that possibly violate GDPR?

You can't be violating GDPR as you are not subject to the regulations of GDPR as an individual.  If on the other hand the company sent you identifiable information to an insecure email address then they would be breaking it but thats not what is happening in this case.

[Deleted User]

JonMitchell said:

Good morning all
I tried to purchase an electronic item at BT Shop, paid for the item with my credit card that I have been using for over 30years.
A day after my paid order, I received an email from BT Shop requesting me to email my bank statements, utility bill, driving license and passport to them????!!! Which came as a big surprise. I called my bank immediately and their credit card department found it extremely odd that online retailers ask for such as my bank did not pick up any issue with my purchase. Was not at all comfortable in sending all these requirements that BT requested so I cancelled the order.
Was wondering if anyone had experienced this before as well?
Not sure if there is a governmental body that I can address such issues as personal data is seen by me treated like dirt when sending sensitive information as attachments via email to an email that I will never know if they are based in UK or oversea, the latter will be a big issue that possibly violate GDPR?

Of course they did.

Nearlyold

What's the email address that this request from "BT Shop" was sent from?

jon81uk

Did you try to apply for credit? Or a mobile phone contract?
Those would need the additional ID documents.

DiddyDavies

camelot1971 said:

Of course they did.

It's appears to be possible that they did ask for this.
Here's an old review (2017) found on Trust Pilot along with a reply from BT Shop:

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:72lhEOOLjNoJ:https://au.trustpilot.com/review/shop.bt.com?page=528+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

If you are deemed to be a threat to the society, you'll be asked to submit passport, driving licence, bank statements etc.

Bloody hell with their policy, it's not an airport! and I was just trying to buy a TV with MY money after paying all the taxes and national insurances at a higher rate!

In an attempt to be "responsible online retailer" - they are asking for Driving license, bank statement and passport even though the billing address and the delivery address was the same! nobody would steal someone else's card just to buy them a TV!

Reply from BT Shop

30 Mar 2017

Hello,

As a responsible online retailer we do need to carry out additional checks from time to time.

There are certain criteria that need to be met, especially with high value items like TV's.

If you would like further information please update this review with your order number so I can contact you directly.

Best wishes,

Lisa

Teapot55

I’m fairly sure that reputable websites don’t have spelling errors or stray punctuation. 

DiddyDavies

Teapot55 said:

I’m fairly sure that reputable websites don’t have spelling errors or stray punctuation. 

Really?
The amount of spelling and grammar errors I've picked up in correspondence from large companies says otherwise to me.
This may not have been the case in the past but as so many businesses have now outsourced their customer services to countries where English may be a second language, this appears to have  changed.

Flight3287462

I ran into similar problems with BT Shop about 10-12 years ago.  Cursed under my breath and have never tried to shop with them again

born_again

JonMitchell said:

Good morning all
I tried to purchase an electronic item at BT Shop, paid for the item with my credit card that I have been using for over 30years.
A day after my paid order, I received an email from BT Shop requesting me to email my bank statements, utility bill, driving license and passport to them????!!! Which came as a big surprise. I called my bank immediately and their credit card department found it extremely odd that online retailers ask for such as my bank did not pick up any issue with my purchase. Was not at all comfortable in sending all these requirements that BT requested so I cancelled the order.
Was wondering if anyone had experienced this before as well?
Not sure if there is a governmental body that I can address such issues as personal data is seen by me treated like dirt when sending sensitive information as attachments via email to an email that I will never know if they are based in UK or oversea, the latter will be a big issue that possibly violate GDPR?

What was you buying?
Something that is on a contract? That would require proof of ID & address etc? Are you a customer that already has a BT land line?

MalMonroe

Teapot55 said:

I’m fairly sure that reputable websites don’t have spelling errors or stray punctuation. 

Sadly, they do. It's almost as if nobody is taught how to write English nowadays. And it's getting worse, from what I can see.